Advertisement

Updated June 6th, 2022 at 22:50 IST

Vikram review: Lokesh unleashes 'multiverse of mass' as Kamal, Fahadh & VJS ace roles

Kamal Haasan and Fahadh Faasil ace the screen in the Lokesh Kanagaraj actioner. Read full review below.

Reported by: Rahul Jathavedan
Kamal Hassan
Image: Vijay Sethupathi Instagram | Image:self
Advertisement

With Kamal Haasan returning to mainstream cinema after a four-year hiatus and Lokesh Kanagaraj portraying the star whom he worships, stakes were sky high for Tamil actioner Vikram, which hit theatres on June 3. Apart from Haasan, the involvement of an ensemble cast including the likes of Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi and rumours around a cameo by Suriya, the hype surrounding Vikram was fueled up prior to its release. However, as many recent big releases and magnum opuses failed to cast their charm up to expectations, with a select few like KGF: Chapter 2 and RRR becoming an exception, there was also an air of concern surrounding the Kamal Haasan actioner. However, shattering all walls of preconceptions, Vikram managed to script a new chapter in Tamil cinema, setting a new benchmark for magnum opuses to trail in the future.

Vikram and his war against narcotics

Starting off with a police officer Prabhanjan (Kalidas Jayaram) uncovering a high-profile drug bust, which eventually leads to his death and his bereaved father Karnan (Kamal Haasan) becoming an alcoholic and drug addict post his son's demise, soon getting captured by a vigilante group, the plot then shifts gears to an investigative track with a black ops team investigating a spate of murders happening in the city with Amar (Fahadh Faasil) leading them.

As the investigation progresses, Amar uncovers a web of mysteries surrounding Karnan, which eventually creates a paradigm shift in his own life. As the plot further unfolds, Vikram and Amar fight side by side in an open war against narcotics and drug peddlers in contemporary society. Further foraying into the plot would mean divulging key spoilers which would ruin the theatrical experience.

Fahadh Faasil and Kamal Haasan trade baton to dominate screen space

Coming to the performances, the entire first half of the film is spearheaded by Fahadh Faasil, who did a splendid job in acing the scenes wherein he was pitted against the likes of the legendary Kamal Haasan himself. As Fahadh's Amar is a character that undergoes a myriad of emotions throughout the course of the film, the ample screen space provided to him by Lokesh Kanagaraj was utilised to its fullest by the actor, which constituted him as a USP of Vikram

As Fahadh hands over the baton to Kamal Haasan towards the interval block, the remainder of the film enters fifth gear as what we witness later is an out-and-out show by Aandavar (how Kamal Haasan is widely known among Tamil masses). Both Kamal and Fahadh are supported by Vijay Sethupathi, who perfectly portrayed the role of the antagonist Sandhanam with ease. With a plethora of cast being associated with the film, Lokesh Kanagaraj aced in granting each of them enough screen space to contribute their best to the film. However, Vasanthi, who appeared in a comparatively small role as a maid deserved special mention as at one crucial point in the plot, the performance delivered by her in a particular scene was top notch and elevated the scene to a monumental level. Furthermore, actor Suriya's cameo, which happens towards the final few minutes of the film, serves as a teaser for the forthcoming instalments of Vikram to watch out for.

What works & what doesn't

It can be said sans any doubt that apart from the performances by the lead, Kanagaraj's direction and Anirudh's music are the biggest selling points of Vikram. Though the film claims a lengthy runtime of 2 hours and 54 minutes, accommodating adequate screentime for all the significant cast members was a challenge - something which Lokesh aced with ease. Characters who appear throughout the film and actors who contributed in brief glimpses have all managed to etch their signatures thanks to the ample screen presence. 

When it comes to the music department, Anirudh Ravichander constituted himself as the soul of the film as without the stupendous backgrounds crooned by him, it is almost unimaginable to elevate scenes to the massy levels with which they were portrayed in the film. The interval block wherein the title track of the movie was played deserves special mention at this juncture. Furthermore, actor Suriya's brief cameo towards the end of the film served as the last ball sixer to a nail-biting T20 match. 

However, coming to the cons, the lengthened plot in the first half might not be everyone's cup of tea as all the action is devoted to the latter half. Enthusiasts of fast-paced films might find the first half, which runs to around 1.5 hours to be a mood killer, but what awaits them in the second half will serve as a perfect redemption to it.

Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'multiverse of mass'

A day prior to the release of Vikram, director Lokesh Kanagaraj, in a social media post, requested moviegoers to watch or rewatch his previous film, Kaithi. As many have deciphered from the post, Vikram picks up from the events where Kaithi left off. The movie starts off with the same high-profile drug bust which was the epicentre of the Karthi-Narain starter as well. As the film nears its conclusion, it can be inferred that a possible linkage to the second instalment of Kaithi, which in turn, will be linked to the next instalment of Vikram, is likely. 

That being said, Vikram is a brilliant film that would offer an immense theatrical experience to the viewers with Kamal Haasan guaranteed to leave the fans in awe.

Advertisement

Published June 4th, 2022 at 17:53 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo